Rapp to Race Daytona with Superstore Attack

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Steve Rapp and Richard Stanboli’s Attack Performance team have reunited to contest the 2012 AMA Pro Racing opener at Daytona. The Motorcycle-Superstore.com/Big Kahuna/LeoVince Attack entry will campaign a Kawasaki ZX-10R in the American SuperBike race at Daytona. Future team plans include possible participation in the remaining ASB schedule, pending sponsorship.

Steve Rapp reunites with Attack Performance for the 2012 Daytona ASB opener. The Californian claimed victory in the 2007 Daytona 200 with the Attack Kawasaki squad.

A regular in the AMA ranks since 1997, Rapp has teamed with Stanboli and Attack Performance in the past with impressive results, particularly at Daytona. Rapp claimed the 2007 Daytona 200 checkers aboard an Attack ZX-6R, returning with the team the following year and placing second in the 2008 D200 (behind then Attack teammate Chaz Davies).

In 2011 Rapp finished runner-up in the Vance & Hines XR1200 Series, claiming wins at the Miller and Barber rounds. The 40-year-old California native also made nine starts in American SuperBike for San Diego BMW, nabbing a trio of top-five results. Rapp reunited with the Attack squad for the New Jersey ASB season finale, placing sixth in Race 1 and crashing out of Race 2 after battling in the top five aboard the ZX-10R. (In 2011 Rapp also contributed his input as a featured test rider in Motorcycle USA’s 2011 Superbike Track Comparison)

According to Attack Performance’s owner, the impressive New Jersey results had Rapp hankering for another shot in 2012. “He was so happy with the way the bike performed and the way the team performed that he just wanted to do something with us this year,” says Stanboli, “so it evolved like that, and we’ve been trying ever since to put a deal together.”

The Attack boss has high expectations for the Kawasaki at Daytona, where he figures a podium finish realistic and a top-five placing mandatory to gauge the visit a success.

“The bike has a lot of top speed and should be a good bike for Daytona,” reckons Stanboli. “I think the spec tire rule makes it pretty fair across the board compared to what we used to race in Superbike in the past. That’s definitely brought the ability for the private guy to compete.”

Proving a private team can compete on the ASB grid has driven the Attack effort in recent years. The team backed a Cycle World-branded Kawasaki in 2011, which showcased AMA Pro Racing young gun JD Beach. Attack also supported Eric Bostrom’s Cycle World Suzuki privateer effort at select 2010 rounds.

Attack will run last year’s Kawasaki machinery at the Daytona opener. During the offseason the team participated in November’s Macau GP with rider Michael Barnes, who finished eighth. Rapp also trounced Expert class rivals at a WERA West event in January.

Motorcycle Superstore and LeoVince have stepped up to support the initial Daytona effort, along with Big Kahuna M1. The team is also supported by sponsors DynoJet and Motion Pro. Committed for the Daytona round, the team is considering support for a full 2012 ASB schedule dependent on developing sponsorship deals.